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Roger and Rafa showdown!

06.06.2008 | Tennis

2008 brings another major showdown in Roland Garros! Roger will play triple defending champion Rafael Nadal in the French Open final on Sunday. Our champ won 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 over unseeded Gaël Monfils in a three-hour thriller.

"He had a bad first game and I had a very good first set but then he stepped up into the court. It was very tight and I'm relieved," Roger said in a courtside interview.

Roger praised Monfils, whose athleticism and leaping can be best compared to a basketballer. Roger was clearly in charge in the first set but made too many unforced errors in the second. After Roger had taken home the third, the French youngster was sent sprawling to the clay as he attempted retrievals as Roger saved break points in the fourth set. But Roger made his intentions clear as he broke in the opening game in windy conditions under grey skies. Monfils was only the second unseeded player Roger had faced in 17 Grand Slam semi-finals the other was Jonas Björkman at Wimbledon two years ago.

Roger converted on seven of 15 break points, with 87 winners and 30 unforced errors in the high-voltage win in front of a Chatrier showcourt crowd which insisted on interrupting the proceedings with a Mexican wave before what was to be the final game as Monfils served to stay in it. Monfils broke on three of 13 occasions, almost matching the seed on winners (84) but producing 40 unforced errors.

It will be the third straight year that Roger and Nadal have met in the final at Roland Garros with Nadal winning the previous two. Nadal also defeated Roger in the 2005 semi-finals. Roger will be going for his 13th career Grand Slam title, one short of the record of 14 held by Pete Sampras. Nadal will have a shot at equaling Björn Borg as the only player to win four straight French Open titles. The Swede achieved that feat in 1981.

AGAIN, IF ANYBODY DID NOT NOTICE, IT WAS NOT A HAPPY DAY WITH THE FRENCH FANS AT ROLAND GARROS TODAY!
DID YOU HEAR TREMENDOUS CHEERING?? OF COURSE NOT.
THAT IS BECAUSE ROGER IS SO LIKED AND ADORED, EVEN A NADAL COULD NOT GET THE CROWD ON HIS SIDE.
AND

Well, I do think today we saw two great champions and great persons who deserves and respect each other..
Only the two of them.
congratulations Roger and all the fans but this happens only with Rafa ....he does not loose to any other player.
It is good

I can't believe how gracious you are...When you were standing on the podium I was thinking to myself what I would say or do...I think I would have thanked the sponsers and the fans and thanked the guy who gave me the trophy and exited...I d

So What??? This intruder on our website seems to think he is making some type of statement, LOL!!
Even though you must be dissapointed, if it is any consolation, I think your fans love you even more! We feel for you, we empathize with you,

Hi, Roger: Sorry you lost; you played so much brilliant & courageous tennis to get to this final! We really enjoyed all your wonderful matches to the final. It probably made a big different not winning your opening game; didn't think you played badly,

It's going to take a few days to get over this loss. As much as I like Roger I believe Nadal will win Wimbledon this year. I also believe Roger has to improve his physical strength like Agassi did in his later years if he wants to compete against the Nada

I think Bjorn had it right when to told McEnroe that you need patience when you play Nadal; you have to make up your mind that you're going to be on the court a while. Roger rushed it; he choked. As Bjorn said, Nadal has the mental edge and all the player